2010 Favia Cerro Sur
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Tasting notes
Bright dark ruby to the rim. Darker and more brooding than the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Offers aromas of black cherry, licorice, menthol, brown spices and a whiff of fennel, but a bit bound-up today. Tighter and a bit higher-pitched than the Cabernet Sauvignon, with its sweetness and brisk acidity yet to come into perfect harmony. Very concentrated and structured even if it's not yet showing quite the current appeal and silkiness of the Cabernet but this wine too boasts terrific energy and its tannins are very suave. Finishes with a touch of Cabernet Franc leafiness, sexy dusty soil tones and a whiff of tobacco, not to mention plenty of tannic support and outstanding persistence. I suspect there's still more to come. Incidentally, this bottle lost none of its verve with 48 hours in the refrigerator but it will never be as plush and pliant as the Napa Valley version. A classic, potentially long-lived example of Cabernet Franc from cooler Coombsville.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Cerro Sur emphasizes their belief in older vines, and tiny yielding Cabernet Franc vines. The 2010, a blend of 69% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, exhibits a deep ruby/purple color and an expansive perfume of blueberries, violets and licorice, a succulent, plush, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, silky tannins, and no evidence of wood. It was bottled without fining or filtration. Drinkable now, it should last for 10-15 years. This small, high quality boutique operation is a joint venture between Annie Favia and winemaker and consultant Andy Erickson. By and large, not a lot of these wines are made, usually under 300 cases. The 2010s, which are currently on the market, are brilliant. www.faviawine.com
Bright red berries, flowers, spices, mint and licorice all jump out of the glass in Favia's 2010 Cerro Sur. Layered, expressive and nuanced, the 2010 is firing on all cylinders. The 2010 can be enjoyed today, but it also has more than enough energy and pedigree to age well for years. Sweet floral and red fruit aromas reappear on the finish, adding lift, brightness and finesse. The 2010 is 69% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon.
(two-thirds cabernet franc planted in 1980, and one-third cabernet sauvignon; from Rancho Chimiles vines in Coombsville): Bright red-ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas of raspberry, cherry, licorice, tobacco, cinnamon and nutty oak. A touch of smoky reduction blows off to reveal sweet flavors of red berries, spices and red leaf tobacco. Finishes smoothly tannic and very long, with a sexy leafy quality brought by the franc component.